Forgotten Realm
by Da Amazing Po-Po-Pony
Summary: Buried within centuries of forgetfulness, there is a realm of shadow. There, three triplet heirs to the Shadow Throne simmer in hatred for Light and Twilight alike. Soon Hyrule and Twilight are faced with another siege, and Midna must give up her throne, Zelda her identity, and Link his loved ones, all to save the two realms.
1. Prologue: Simmering Hatred

**Prologue: Simmering Hatred**

In Hyrule, there exists a gloomy realm of Twilight. Even it's name holds infamy in the hearts of the kingdom's people. Just three months ago, an insane king invaded Hyrule, ripping through the walls of light and dark, creating chaos in a kingdom of peace. This king, in his mad rage, sieged the castle and took hold of the kingdom's leader. As much as the king believed otherwise, he was never in charge. Holding power over the king of Twilight was an even darker king, a man of centuries old evil that many a green hero had tried to defeat. Only one had succeeded, plunging his sword straight through the heart of the evil Gerudo King, flecks of Twilight dotting the sky. The hero by the name of Link, as all incarnations were, had defeated Ganondorf and brought peace to the land. Twilight had been pushed back within it's walls, and the true queen, Queen Midna, was once again on the throne. Peace reigned in Hyrule and Twilight, and all thought that the kingdoms would return to normal. Better than normal, even. Both grew rich from trade with each other, and Hyrule was slowly piecing itself together.

But in the darkness of a third, forgotten realm, evil simmered and boiled. Three dark heirs, seated on thrones of pure obsidian, planned. They were furious that their realm, the realm of night, was forgotten. They were sick of the hero always defeating their servants. They were tired of dealing with all of the evil souls that came to rest in the Night. Nothing, no one, not even Demise or Ganon, were as truly malevolent and wicked as the three triplets of darkness. The supposedly 'great' 'evils' that had plagued Hyrule were merely lords and ladies of this demented royal family. The true evil that languished on the throne was much darker, with the power to reduce Hyrule to a smoking ruin. The one problem was the stubborn brat that was queen of the Twilight. She and Hyrule's weak leader, Zelda, were holding steadfast to the ideals of peace and prosperity. There was no anger or resistance to take advantage of. There was also that blasted hero, Link. It would have to be a full on siege. The triplets glowered in their shadowy throne room. When the chance came, they would take it.

* * *

Link did not know where to go or what to do after the Twilit Invasion, as Castletown residents called the year when Zant had invaded. Link had tried to return to Ordon, but there he was serenaded as 'The Hero,' and no one treated him as the same farmhand he used to be. But maybe he was not. Link had changed in that year. He had grown stronger and more agile, grown to be a better fighter and tracker, but he had also grown a tough outer shell. Not even Ilia could get him to stop moping after Midna had left. He tried to be cheery and helpful, played with the children, but his heart was never in it. He had grown apart from Ordon.

"Ilia..." Link started, staring into the sapphire blue water of Ordona's Spring.

"A-yes?" Ilia looked up, startled to hear Link speak. He had always been quiet, but after the invasion he was even more so. She was lucky to hear a word a day from him.

"You know... you know that Ordon... Isn't right..." Link did not want to say this. He stirred the springwater with a twig.

"Link, stop." She said. "You are no good at being sentimental!" She smiled and splashed water on him. "Go. Do what you need to do."

"You're okay with me leaving?" Link asked. Ilia had read his mind again!

"Yes. Now fight back! You're nearly drenched, and I happen to be dry!" Ilia pranced around. "You can't catch me!"

"Oh yes I can!" Link smirked and took off his hat. It was the one piece of the Hero's Tunic that he still wore, even though he was always teased about it.

"You wouldn't!" Ilia said in mock horror.

"Oh yes," Link scooped the hat in the water, "I would!" He lept to Ilia and dumped the water over her.

"Cheater!" She yelled with fake anger.

"I'm sorry..." Link said in equally fake sorrow. Ilia sat back down on the sand, a sad expression on her face. Link sat down next to her in concern.

"Link...' She said. He pulled her into a hug and she buried her face in his shoulder. "Just remember that this is your home."

"I always will." Link let go of his friend and dug around in his magic pockets. His hand closed on a familiar shape and he pulled it out. He uncurled his fingers to present a small grey whistle.

"What is this?" Ilia asked, sniffling.

"It belonged to the first Link. He used it to call his Loftwing."

Ilia looked back at him with a blank expression.

"Oh, a Loftwing is a giant bird that the Sky People rode on to get places."

Ilia looked up with adoration. "Really?! You'll have to tell me about them when you come back! You never did talk much about the Sky incarnation of yourself. But you go on and on about the incarnation that went through time." Ilia shook her head in circles. "On and on and on and-"

"Alright I'll tell you later!" Link said, and Ilia stopped her head spinning.

"Thanks. I was getting a bit dizzy." She said with crossed eyes.

"No worries. This whistle is made of a rare stone called Goddess Stone. Sky told me that when he activated it the stone glowed the most beautiful swirls of color." Link looked down morosely. "But I don't know how to activate it..."

"Link, I love it." Ilia pried his head up to face her. "Thank you."

"MISTER LIIIIIIIIIIIIIINK!" A voice screamed. Ilia screamed as well and jumped up. A tall, lean man in a white romper trotted into the spring.

"Postman?" Link asked incredulously. "I thought that I finally killed you shoving you into the Darknuts at the Cave of Ordeals." Link started to mutter but caught himself. "IIIIII mean how are you doing?"

"Good, good..." Postman wheezed. "Here's you letter. Onward to MAIL!" Postman dashed out of the clearing.

"Who's it from?" Ilia asked from right behind Link, startling him. He barley had time to react before she snatched it away. Her eyes grew wide as she struggled to read the Modern Hylian that she had never been good at. "This is fro Princess Zelda!"

"What?" Link yelled. 'Give it over and let me read." Ilia sullenly handed the letter over.

"You better-"

"Read out loud?" Link finished her sentence with a smirk. "Sure."

_"Sir Link, Knight of Hyrule," _Link grimaced at the frilly title had had been given.

"Keep going!" Ilia urged him.

"Fine. _Sir Link, Knight of Hyrule, I hope this is not to brazen, but I wish to invite you to stay in Hyrule Castle for a time, in both gratitude for your services to the kingdom, and to the fact that I have appointed you as a personal advisor. I can explain more at the castle, but please come soon._

_ ~Zelda, Heir to Hyrule"_

"Whoa, so it really is from the princess. But why was it so short?" Ilia asked.

"Ugh." Link groaned. "That postman charges by the character. The price changes by how much money you have. I can only imagine that he charged Zelda up the wahoo for that letter."

"Link!" Ilia scolded. "That is no way to talk about the princess! If only I had time to teach you some manners before you left!"

Link sighed in mock disappointment.

"If only. But this letter is urgent. Gottago!Seeyousoon!" he yelled over his shoulder as he raced off on Epona. Ilia giggled.

"Bye, Link." She said to the fast shrinking dot on the horizon. She turned to go but felt a cold hand wrap around her arm, and another cover her mouth. Ilia tried to scream but the hand pressed on her mouth harder.

"I though he would never leave." A deep voice said, smooth and dark like a deep lake. Ilia was spun around to face her assailant. She screamed again from what she saw. Two blood red eyes stared at her from underneath a mop of hair. The man was entirely black, the color of a midnight with no moon. He wore a black cloak that was decorated with cyan and silver runes. At his belt an obsidian sword glinted evilly.

"Darcy, Nyx! Get over here." He yelled over his shoulder. Ilia watched as two gorgeous women, probably no older than her, came up behind whom they addressed as Drake. they, like Drake, had crimson eyes, and their dress seemed to be made of spun shadow.

"We have the first piece to the puzzle. Let's go."

"Brother, what about the princess? It would be easier to get her now..." The taller woman, who wore cyan markings, asked.

"Nyx, you know the plan. Let's go. This blasted light is to warm. It's weakening my power center." Drake said, with a hint of pain in his voice.

"Agreed." Darcy said, rubbing the silver markings on her arms.

Nyx and Darcy knelt on the ground and began to chant. The melody made Ilia's ears burn and she struggled harder as the ground ripped and black mist formed a wavering circle around the triplets. Silver, emerald, and cyan ripped upward and formed a complex spiderweb on the black walls. Ilia felt her world stretching, and it seemed her heart and mind were being pulled form her. Drake looked down, almost with pity. He pulled a small vial from his belt and out it to Ilia's lips. She pressed them shut.

"It will help with the warping." He explained softly. Ilia reluctantly allowed the potion to slip down her throat, and instantly felt woozy. She managed to hang on to consciousness long enough to hear Nyx utter:

"We're home"

Ilia's world dimmed, and she went slack in Drakes grip.

**Oh, poor Ilia... I hope you liked it! Please review!**


	2. Blood Crown

Link bowed to Zelda, who sat on her repaired throne. The throne room had been well repaired after it's destruction by Ganon. The process was still ongoing, though, and Link could see a few smashed pillars and singed places on the rug that he had caused during his fights that happened there three months ago. Link had donned his green tunic again, somehow believing that he would need it.

"Stand." Zelda said in a clear and commanding voice. She was getting to be a good princess. No longer uncomfortable in the public eye, stronger. Her battle strategy was the best in the two realms, and it was proven when the remnants of the Gerudo tried to rebel. Link stood, almost unable to disobey. "I hope your journey was alright, Sir Link."

"Yes, uh, thank you." Link scratched the back of his head. He wished he could have stayed for Ilia's manner lessons. Ilia! He forgot to say a proper goodbye!

"Guards, you may leave." Zelda looked to the guards. One of them tried to protest, but Zelda silenced him with a stare from her laser blue eyes. "I think I am safe." She started with a small, almost undetectable smile, "Seeing as how the man in green here," Zelda gestured to Link, who blushed. He knew what she was going to say, and it was said too often for his taste. "Saved all of Hyrule and Twilight on his own. He even saved my life when Ganon took over my body." Zelda had not kept anything that happened secret. She believed that her people had a right to know what happened, so she had it published, everything. Most people read it cover to cover. Others didn't read at all, wishing to stay ignorant to what the kingdom had become in that hellish year. The guard left, and Zelda seemed to relax. She jumped down and hugged Link. When the hug was over, she looked at Link, who didn't know what to do, so bowed again. Zelda giggled. "Link, just treat me the same. Your the one person, though I did not know you before the Invasion, that I can be me around." Zelda said in an almost begging voice. "So please. Now your Link, and I'm Zelda. Just Zelda."

"Well, it's nice to see your sanity has improved." Link joked. Zelda looked stern until she understood Link's jibe was just a joke.

"I see your smell hasn't, goat boy." She retorted, giggling.

"Hey!" Link said, much to Zelda's amusement. A guard peered in and they stopped laughing, Zelda instantly gaining her regal composure.

"I called you here because I appointed you advisor and guardian to me..." Zelda began.

"Yeah, I saw in your letter." Link said.

"I...I just need someone here that... Went through the same thing as I did... No one else seems to understand what happened. They only know what was written in the book... I hope that's alright with you..." Zelda was on the brink of tears. Link reached out to hug her. Hugs fix anything, a least, anything that Link had encountered.

"I'll stay. It's alright." Link said. Zelda sniffed and smiled.

"Thank you."

* * *

Midna crouched in the shadows of the slate palace. She had gone to great lengths to be able to sneak out without a guard. She crept along the wall, her hand brushing the red runes. Peeking around a corner, she smiled. Midna was free!

"Where ya going?" A young man in blue robes swung upside down on a windowsill above Midna. His spiky orange hair stood on end, allowing Midna to see his bright yellow eyes and black skin.

"Don't do that!" She hissed at the man. She was nearly out and he was going to give her away!

"Fine, fine," He said, holding up his hands in a peacemaking gesture. He smirked and added, "Princess."

"Jinx, stop! I'll get caught!" Midna said quietly, but very menacingly.. Jinx wiped the grin off his face and crouched next to his cousin.

"So, where are we going?" He asked.

"We?" Midna accused. "No, not we. Me! Go home."

"Well then... I guess I'll just call the guards..." Jinx taunted. "Oh guaaaarrr-"

"Shut up! You can come!" Midna clamped a hand over Jinxs' mouth. Jinx grinned.

"Again: Where to?"

"Shut up and follow me." Midna grumbled. Jinx hooted.

"Ooh, is it a seeeee-cret?" Jinx would not shut up.

"_Yes_." Midna ground out the words with enough venom to kill a whale. Jinx was still stubbornly alive, though.

Jinx opened his mouth to talk, but Midna slapped him. He was quiet after that.

They slipped through the shadows and soon made the way to the Forgotten Temple. It sat proudly on the top of a crest, its white stone glowing in the Twilight. It was the only white building in the realm, a collection of the past memories. It was fit that such a place would use all of the marble that existed.

"Why here?" Jinx asked, looking up at the temple's tall pillars.

"C'mon. You'll see." Midna walked with purpose down the halls. Jinx lagged behind, staring at the multitude of artifacts from Twili past. He bumped abruptly into Midna, who stood stick straight, peering deep into a large white mirror. Across the circular room from the white mirror was a black one. Both were cold and dormant.

"Mid, what are these?" Jinx used the childhood nickname that Midna so despised, but she was too lost in thought to care.

"Portals..." She mumbled, before drifting off to the center of the room, where a large slab of marble stood tall.;

"To?" Jinx prodded.

"Other worlds."

"Wait!" He yelled. "You're not seriously considering it! Please, tell me I'm wrong!"

"Jinx... I have to. I left behind too many loose ends..." Midna looked down.

"You're... Going back?" Jinx was quiet. he loved his cousin, and could not bear to see her leave again.

"Yes."

"Midna, think of your kingdom! Your people! What are they going to do?" Jinx yelled. He was _not_ going to let her go again.

"Not mine anymore."

"Of course it's yours!" Jinx yelled, hating how Midna spoke in riddles.

"No. It's yours. I would never have been a good ruler."

"Mid-"

"Let me speak." Midna leveled her crimson gaze on her cousin. He nodded. "I left my people. For a year. I left because of shame for what Zant had done. I was a coward. Not a queen."

"Mid, you're an incredible queen."

"I AM NOT!" She screamed, throwing a punch to the marble slab. "I made too many ties! Left too many behind in the light!"

"Midna, I don't know what to say." Jinx felt the back of his eyes begin to sting with tears.

"Then don't talk. I'm leaving." Midna reached up to her brow and tore off the hanging pendant. She handed it to Jinx.

"_Jeg uttale din hersker av blodet krone._ I pronounce thy ruler of the blood crown_._" She pricked her thumb and let a bead of her blood fall onto the serpent's ruby eye. It absorbed the blood. Midna quickly jabbed Jinx's thumb and smeared it onto the silver scales. "King Jinx."

"Midna... _Please_." Jinx grabbed her arm. He let it go slack when he saw the black mirror ripple.

"Is that supposed to happen?" He asked, panicking.

Midna's eyes grew wide. She sprinted across the smooth floor to the mirror. "No."

I rippled and stretched against its ages old bindings. The glossy surface bucked and spun.

"It's been used!" Midna cried.

"By who?! Where does it go!?" Jinx hissed as he touched the surface and it burned him.

"I don't know who used it, but it leads to the Shadowland, more commonly called the Night Realm. It is the place that only the evilest souls occupy." Midna took a deep breath. "Do not try to enter it. Do not try to speak to it's rulers. Get the warlocks in here immediately. I must warn the Light World."

"Those aren't your people, Mid. You owe them nothing." Jinx wrapped a hand around his cousin's bicep. "Stay here. Rule your kingdom."

"I owe two of them my life. I cannot stay. It is not my kingdom anymore, Jinx. Be strong. Be brave. Be a beacon. Be what I could not be." Midna paced to the white mirror. "Do not follow me. I do not know if this will work after all this time."

"Midna, wait." Jinx ran up to her and tore off the small pendant he had always worn. He shoved it roughly into her hand. "Don't forget me."

"Jinx, I would never. But do me a favor. Forget me. I am dead to you, from here on out." Midna took the three steps to the mirror. she took a deep breath, and dove in.

"I love you!" She yelled over the shrieking portal. "May you bring what I could not to this realm!"

* * *

Midna screamed as she tore through the portal. It ripped and clawed at her skin, seeming to flay her flesh from bone. She felt her air whoosh out, and her mind bend and warp like it was being stolen by magic. The pain consumed her, but she could not fall into blissful unconsciousness. Ignoring all of the warnings her tutor had stressed, Midna cast a sleeping spell in the portal. Her world became blissfully silent as she faded away.

* * *

**Yes, I know that was short. I promise that the chapters will be longer, I just didn't want to change settings after that (hopefully) touching scene with Midna and her cousin.**

**So, anyways, we might be hearing more from Jinx, might not... Dunno yet.**

**Oh, and do tell me:**

**Who is your favorite character in Twilight Princess?**

**Least favorite? **

**Don't you put Ilia as least favorite and just say: She's a Mary-Sue. **

**So many haters think that but she really just cares. Oh, and she has a short temper. Mary Sues are patient. Ha!**

**Well, I love Ilia a whole megaton, as you can see, but she's tied with Zant. He was just so perfectly psychotic and powerful... But then in the final battle he threw a tantrum and stomped round like a child. That lost some fave points on my book.**

**My least favorite character is Malo, the ungrateful little bastard. I would have to write down a really long conversation between me and my friend to even begin to explain why I hate Malo so much, but I'm too lazy.**


	3. Return To Light

**Hello and welcome back to the Po-Po Channel! I think I'll start replying to reviews here, if ya'll don't mind.**

**Darcy: I mind.**

**Drake: Shut up.**

**Nyx: Go die in a hole, Po-Po.**

**Po-Po: They don't like me, but you guys do, right?**

**Audience:...**

**Drake: Well that's just sad.**

**Scarlet Curls: OMGOMG IT IS A HOSTAGE SITUATION! Someone call da police!**

**Jinx is Midna's cousin... I don't think se loves him like that...**

***cowers* Ahh! No! I'll try for your precious Minkna! *tiny* no promises...**

**Demon Princess Of Time: Uh... Thank you?**

* * *

Link surveyed the dusty landscape of Gerudo Desert. He hadn't come to this scorching valley for a long time. About six months. It had been about two weeks since he was called to the palace, and he was itching to get out of the formal wear and fancy speak of Hyrule Castle.

Fyer, as always, had charged him for the not very safe cannon ride. Link thought that the least Fyer could do was let Link ride for free. Doesn't saving the world have perks? The only perk Link got was being swarmed by fangirls in Castletown. Not so great a perk.

He trekked over the sand, wishing he had Epona or the advantage of his wolf form. He was stuck with his thick green tunic, and his hat didn't do much to ward off the sun. About three fourths of the way to Arbiter's Grounds he had stop and dump sand from his boots for what felt like the thousandth time, but was probably only the fifth of sixth. Link hoped that he wouldn't have to fight through the old sandstone dungeon again. He didn't really care for those mice and skeletons, nor did he want to accidentally awaken Death Sword again. He sighed and looked up at the tall spires, remembering how Midna had left three and a half months ago. He took his time climbing up the decrepit sandstone stairs, wary of the crumbly structure. Link did not want to see the empty mirror frame again. He heard someone scream.

"-Could not to this realm!" The voice began to scream in pure agony. Link scrambled up the last steps scraping his hands and knees but not caring. His instinct as a Link was kicking in, and he _had_ to help whoever this was. To not help was to not be a Link. When he dashed into the large colosseum he saw nothing but for the slab of rock that the portal was projected on. But there was the scream again! It was coming from a door he had not noticed before. He smashed into the old wood at full speed, but it would not budge. The screams were still coming.

Pulling out weapon after weapon her tried to penetrate the door, but not even his bomb arrows worked. The screams stopped, and Link stood in a wallow of defeat. Whoever it was had probably died, right there, right in front of him, and he couldn't help! Link leaned his forehead against the door, and tried the knob. It creaked open.

_Din darn you!_ He screamed in his head,_ Why didn't you try the Farore forsaken doorknob!_

The room was pitch black when he walked in, but he got the sense that it was huge. Link pulled out his lantern and scanned the walls for a torch. Lighting one, he saw the rooms contents. Inside, layered on stand after stand, were weapons and jewelry and books, so many books. It seemed that all of Hyrules treasures were here! He saw a model of a red boat with a dragon head, a crimson feather labeled Loftwing, and even a small, peach pink ocarina.

_This must be where the history of the Links is kept..._ He thought, remembering how fondly Sky had talked of his loftwing, Sea of his boat, and Time his childhood friend, Saria, whom had given him the pink ocarina.

Dominating the center of the room was a mirror that glowed and rippled. It looked much like the Mirror of Twilight, before it was shattered. Link walked up to touch the surface, but recoiled when he felt heat radiate off it. _This is probably what the person was screaming about. _He almost jumped out of his boots when her heard a groan from the other side of the mirror. Rushing over, Link nearly cried when he saw who it was and what had been done to her.

"Midna!" He lifted her up. The markings on her arms, normally a cyan blue, were glowing a dark navy, so much that he could barely see them on the black parts of her skin. Her crown was missing, and she had a small cut on her thumb. "What happened to you?" Link's normally peaceful blue eyes were burning with fury. He would tear apart whoever was responsible for this. Midna stirred in his arms, and he was torn out of his torture fantasies and into the situation at hand. Her ruby eyes blinked open, and she smiled weakly.

"Am I so beautiful that you have no words left?" She asked, quoting herself from right after she got her true form back.

"I missed you!" Link hugged her fiercely.

"Whoa, whoa there, bucko. I think I have a broken rib." Midna coughed out from the bear hug.

"Oh, sorry." Link sheepishly let go. "How did you get here?"

"Where's Zelda?" Midna asked. "I need to speak with her immediately."

"In the palace. But wait-" Link was cut off from his warning when he dissolved into black flecks. Midna was so rash.

* * *

Link fell on his butt halfway across Castletown. After the surprise wore off, he worried that the warp had gone wrong, and even more so about how the guards would react to a Twili appearing in the middle of the throne room. Especially a woman as intimidating and blunt as Midna. He heard something boom from the top floor of the palace. Link blinked and then scrambled up the grand stairs into the palace.

"Morning, Sir Link." The guars greeted him.

"Morning." Link replied, rushing by. "The Twili means no harm!"

"I think he's gone insane." The first guard whispered.

"That would explain the collection in his room." The second added.

* * *

Midna teleported into the throne room with a boom, knowing she had dropped Link somewhere, but she was too weak to have carried him all the way. She felt something sharp against her back. She could feel the cold metal of a spear through the thin fabric of her cape.

"Hands up." A voice called shakily from behind her. "And don't try any magic!" Midna heard bowstrings being drawn taut._ Are we really feared that much? Or hated?_ She thought bitterly. "On your knees." Midna kneeled, feeling the cold marble against her knees.

"I must speak with Zelda!" She cried, trying to get the bulky Hylian words out before she was imprisoned.

"Says who?" The guard prompted.

"Link." Midna arched her back so the spear would not penetrate her skin. Her cape had been ripped, and she would rip him in half to retaliate if she could.

"Well then where is he?"

"Right here!" Link ran into the room. He wheezed and pointed to Midna. "She won't kill you... Unless... You call her... Cute... Or touch... Her hair..."

The guard straightened up. "Sorry, Sir Link."

"No worries. Where's Zel-Um-Princess Zelda?" Link asked.

"Her chambers. Remember to knock this time, creep." The guard held up his hands. "Hey, her words, not mine!"

"Alright, fine!" Link laughed. Midna wondered how he could dismiss the guard so readily after he had forced her to her knees at _spearpoint!_ Midna elbowed Link.

"C'mon, Creeper Boy." She said slyly, causing the guards to guffaw in amusement.

"She's a keeper!" The hooted as Link led Midna out of the throne room. They walked down a large hall lined with windows looking out to the courtyard. Midna marveled at how light and airy everything was. Certainly the opposite of what the Twilight Palace was. Midna was so caught up in the scenery that she crashed into Link when he stopped at Zelda's door.

"Oops. Sorry" She said.

"Zelda?" Link knocked lightly on the door. Midna heard a muffled crash, and a small gasp.

"Uhh... Link? Yeah, um, could you bring in a maid?"

"That's it, cover yourself, because I'm coming in!" Link opened the door, but stopped before crossing the threshold. Zelda stood (fully clothed, thank Nayru) in the middle of what looked like a murder scene. Pottery shards were all over the floor, and she looked guilty. "What in Din's name happened in here?"

"Well, you scared me, and I, uh, dropped the pot?" Zelda offered. Link and Midna both knew it was fake, but let it pass because of whatever important news Midna had.

"Midna?! Is that you!?" Zelda looked around the doorframe to see the embarrassed Twili.

"Yes, and don't let the whole castle know!" Midna retorted. Zelda silenced herself.

"Zelda, Midna told me she had something urgent to say." Link urged.

"Yes, yes, follow me" Zelda brushed down a small corridor to a library. "We can talk safely here. Tell me, Queen Midna-"

Midna bristled. "Midna, as of now."

"Midna, I'm sorry." Link said, and rubbed her shoulder.

"Let me start by telling a story.

A long time ago, there lived three kings. The kings ruled three realms, and brought peace and joy to all people. They lived a life of luxury, and took each a realm of their own. The oldest chose firs, and took the realm of light that he so adored. The middle one claimed a realm of perpetual dusk that accustomed his dark and seclusive manner. The third was upset that he had been given the ShadowLand, and was not happy. The Dark King, as he came to be called, grew furious and power hungry, so much that he blurred the thin walls of the realms and broke his Midnight into Twilight and Light, wreaking havoc on the land. When the people of all realms were dying, the two kings of Light and Twilight rose against their corrupted brother in a magnificent fight that lasted three hundred years. As the lone Shadow King began to slide into his own realm, the two other kings struck him down and sealed him in his own realm. But the Twilight King hesitated. He looked at his pitiful brother, and felt pity for the man he had once been. That falter allowed the Shadow king to grab hold of the Light, to wrench himself out of the Shadow. As he clawed onto the last sights of the Light and Twilight, he created three rips in the walls.

One was the Mirror Of Twilight. The other two are hidden away in my realm. This king of dusk, he lay festering and boiling with anger and resentment for the past eons. And now a descendant of his is coming back to right the socalled wrongs. I know because of the chamber in my own realm. I was used, which has not happened in all of history. I used the Dawn Mirror, the one linking to the Light Realm, to get here. Unfortunately, it used up a lot of my magic... That's why my runes are so dark. They're a type of... Vein, lets say, that a Twili's magic runs through... The darker the less magic. I'll heal."

Zelda sat back and studied Midna.

"What about your kingdom? You left them behind again as you did in the Invasion?"

"NO!" Midna screamed savagely. She nearly lunged for Zelda, but was caught by Link. "I would never do that again!" Midna hissed.

"Midna, what happened?" Link asked, looking at the now savage woman with concern.

"I... I could never be a ruler... I gave the crown to my cousin, Jinx. He'll... He was meant to rule. I can't just abandon my people and go to the Light World. You don't understand. I. Left. Them! To die under the hands of Zant. I can never be forgiven. Jinx will start a new royal line, a good one that is not plagued by insane usurpers."

"Midna, you've lost so much..." Zelda said, reaching out to console her friend, who was still being held by Link, less out of necessity, though.

"Thank you... But we have to go. They won't bother with Twilight, that is just a half world to them. The Shadow Rulers are after the realm that they hate with all their hearts. They are coming soon, and they are hitting hard."

* * *

Zelda had given Midna a grand room near her own, and Midna was looking around in astonishment at the thick rugs and rich paintings.

"Different from the Twilight, eh?" Link asked, sanding in the doorway.

"Yes. And now I know why Zelda makes you knock. Go away, I'm trying to sleep." Midna said, collapsing backwards to sit on the edge of her bed.

"You did the right thing, you know." Link said, sitting next to Midna and wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "It's good that you warned us."

"I... At first I was just going to run away..." Midna started, a small tear trailing down her cheek. "I was going to run away from my kingdom. Seeing the Dusk Mirror was just an excuse to leave behind all of the hatred."

"Midna." Link said, pulling her chin up to look him in the eye. "You did what you had to. Zelda and I do not doubt you."

"Link..."

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

* * *

Drake lounged on the throne next to Darcy and twirled his pendant around his fingers boredly. Nyx shot him and Darcy a glance, but they both continued to slouch. Darcy turned upside down so that the backs of her legs pressed against the back of her tall throne, and her back was on the seat. Her neon cyan hair flowed off her head into a pool on the floor. Darcy thought that the mural on the opposite wall looked better upside down. The Shadow King looked to be coming out of the sky to give blessing rather that clawing at the ground, and the blasted Twilight and Light kings looked to cower in his mighty presence.

"When do we march?" Nyx asked sullenly, already bored of the weak prisoner they had taken. The trio had been watching her from the other side of the throne room for hours, and she hadn't done much but cower and pray to her petty goddesses.

"Very soon. We must wait, though, for our dear friend Midna to reach Hyrule Castle." Drake said with a murder's grin.

"Yes, yes, I know, but this stupid prisoner is getting boring!" Nyx retorted sourly, running her hands through her fiery orange hair.

"Nyx." Darcy mumbled from her upside down perch. "Drake... Why just send a wraith or two to the castle, get it done, and take over?"

"Because that's quick and violent... But deadly!" Drake said.

"Deadly... I love that word." Nyx trailed off.

"I like that plan. Let's get some wraiths in order!"

* * *

Ilia, alone and frightened, sat in the corner of the throne room, listening to the plans of her homes demise.

* * *

**Oh, Ilia... You must think I hate you...**

**BUUUT ANYYYWAAAAYSSS! As always, please review, tell me what you liked, what you didn't, or even that you hate me... I don't care!**

**So... I gots another question for you.**

**What was your favorite item in Twilight Princess?**

**Me, I LOVE the spinner... Maybe because Link looked like he was going to be sick... But I also like the clawshot... Haha... Memories... I'll tell you...**

**(I and my friend at her house playing TP in the garage. Just randomly clawshotting around to see if Link's arm gets ripped out of its socket {we were morbid little sixth graders})**

**Le Friend: I don;t think his arm will come out...**

**Me: NO! KEEP TRYING! If we believe! **

**Le Friend: *rolls eyes* Okay...**

**Le Friends Dad: *walks in* What are you guys doing?**

**Me and Le Friend: *sweetly* Trying to rip Link's arm from its socket.**

**Le Friends Dad: Oh... Can I try?!**

**And what's even funnier is that he's a doctor... Ehh... It was funny at the time... I don't even know why I tell you guys this stuff... Bye. Happy weekend!**


	4. Castle Siege

**So sorry this is so late! I have been in at the beach for too long! I also saw my awesome almost-cousin-taco-maniac buddies, and stayed up watching Shark Night with my friend and her (hopefully) almost step sister.**

**Scarlet Curls:** Ahhh! Smack that spider! (I may or may not have derped out and smacked myself five times before I realized that was happening)

Argh! I don't know! It will be funnier if Link is jealous about the things to come, but I don't know if I want Minkna! (blasphemy!)

**Demon Princess Of Time:** Haha, thanks.

***chucks computer at audience* Here! You can read it!**

* * *

Midna rolled over in her sleep, ignoring the loud banging going on outside her door.

"Link... Go to sleep..." She mumbled. "You bull in a china shop..."

Midna sat straight up when she heard a loud crash. Flying out of bed she ran to Zelda's room, where Link stood, sword drawn.

"Link! What's going on?!" Midna yelled over the crashing and banging of stone on stone.

"The castle's under attack! Zelda is getting something that she said was important!" Link replied. Screeching, like the sound of a thousand violins, sent Midna and Link to their knees. A black figure rounded the corner. It was made entirely of swirling and pulsating black mist, but two piercing yellow eyes stared ahead with a murderous gaze that soon fixed on Link and Midna, still clutching their ears. The figure moved with deliberate steps to Link, and reached a swirling tendril of smoke out to touch him. Link broke from the trance and rolled away, tearing his sword from its sheath. The blade imbued with light from the Sols, the Master Sword, slashed through the dark creature and reduced it to ash.

"We need to get to Zelda!" Midna ran into Zelda's room, only to crash into a blue Sheikiah.

"Who are you!?" Link demanded, pointing his sword at the Sheikiah.

"Zelda! I'm wearing my grandmother's disguise!" Zelda cried.

"Okay, let's go!" Link yelled, before sweeping across the room to the balcony.

"You're crazy!" Midna exclaimed, looking down at the impossible drop to a tiny fountain.

"No, just desperate..." Link took a deep breath... And plummeted fifteen stories to the fountain below, grabbing Midna's wrist because he knew she would hesitate, and hesitation was death.

Wind whistled through Midna's ears as she fell to the fountain and landed with a splash, the bottom just barley deep enough to keep her from shattering her bones. Midna sat up and sputtered at Link.

"Remind me to kill you." She said angrily. Link motioned for her to get down. From behind a hedge they saw three people that looked so alike that they had to be triplets. With bodies and clothes so dark, they could fade into a shadow if not for the glowing silver runes up and down their bodies, much in resemblance to Midnas. One in the middle was a young man about Links age, with stark white hair that looked like a swirl of snow on his head. There were two women next to him, one with cyan hair and another with flaming red and orange. They walked through the courtyard as if they owned the place, paying no mind to the death and destruction going on everywhere around them.

"They are Shades. The Shadowlands inhabitants. They must be the king and queens; only the royal family has triplets." Midna whispered to Zelda and Link.

"Then we need to go." Zelda replied, pulling the white bandages of her Sheikiah uniform back over her nose.

The trio ran silently bush to bush, pausing occasionally to evade an attacking wraith. Link and Midna saw tears dripping down Zelda's face as she saw what her castle and all of its proud inhabitants had become.

"We're almost out of the south gates." Link tried to comfort the silently sobbing princess.

True enough, they reached the southern exit of the castle and Link summoned Epona with a small silver whistle. Link mounted, Zelda and Midna behind him.

"Kakariko. Go there." Zelda said above the pounding and screaming of the siege. Link silently rode across the fields, Zelda soon falling asleep. After about an hour of riding, Midna spoke.

"We all gave something huge up..." Midna said. Link didn't know whether she was referring to the Twilit Invasion or what had just happened at the castle. "Sacrifices for the supposed greater good. I used to wonder if I would have given up my throne had this whole siege not happened. Had I never met you, would I just live out my life as a queen on the Twilight Throne? Would I remain oblivious to Zant's insanity?" She asked dubiously. "What of you? Or Zelda?"

Link stared out at the night. For a long time he did not speak, and Midna thought he would not. "We live on. Hopefully our sacrifices make a change. As people we rebuild, and as people we forgive and forget and pray to the goddesses for peace." Link said finally.

"If your or my goddesses are so all powerful, then why do they subject their land to this pain and ruin?" Midna was near crying. "Why do they leave my people alone in the dark, why do they make worlds so separate when they need eachother most?"

Link paused again.

"I don't know. I just wait for each dawn, and hope that tomorrow is better."

* * *

They had traveled for hours over the fields that separated Kakariko from Castletown, and in the light of a rosy pink dawn Epona crested the horned gates of the small settlement. Renado, as usual, was out and about, and immediately greeted Link warmly. His smile faded when he saw Links two passengers.

"Please, come inside. I don't want the village to get worked up." Renado began to open the heavy doors to the Sanctuary. Zelda yawned.

"Where are we?" She asked sleepily.

"Kakariko." Midna replied. Link dismounted and helped Zelda down. He held out a hand for Midna but she shrugged and jumped off of Epona, whom Link then tied to a post outside of the large building.

"Link!" A shrill little girls voice cried. Luda came barreling into the room and tackled Link in a hug.

"Hello Luda. How've you all been?" Link asked with a smile.

"Great! The village is getting much better, and Barnes isn't as crazy anymore!" Luda went on and on about probably every single detail that happened after Link left, even down to whom-said-what-when.

"Luda, Link and his friends are here on some urgent business. Could you play outside for a while?" Renado asked. Luda nodded and ran outside with a doll clutched in her hand.

"That girl can_ talk!"_ Midna remarked. Renado did not smile. Midna began to feel uncomfortable in his laser focus.

"Renado," Zelda said, diverting the shamans attention. "we came to ask if the oracle in Death Mountain is still around."

"Ah, yes, sweet Jai is still in her fiery home. You are looking for a prophecy?"

"Yes." A tear rolled down Zeldas cheek as she recounted the story of her castle's downfall. When Zelda's tale was finished Renado whistled and leaned back.

"Yes, you'll be doing good to speak to Jai." He finally said.

"How can we reach this oracle?" Midna asked. She had not seen any other areas of Death Mountain that could accommodate such a holy place when Link had been there in the Twilight.

"You'd have to ask the Gorons. I have never received the honor of visiting that place in my life." Renado pursed his lips in thought. "You are in good relation with them?"

"Yes." Midna spoke for Link.

"Good. I'll see out as far as the pass, but I won't enter the mountain for the life of me. Hylians aren't meant to be there."

"Understood. Thank you." Zelda slipped a ring off her finger and gave it to the shaman. He humbly tried to refuse it, but Zelda insisted. "You've been such a help in the Reformation, and even in the Twilight you led your village to safety. I haven't begun to repay you." Renado smiled as the trio walked out. He hoped that the oracle's fiery temper would not be their downfall.

* * *

The trek up Death Mountain was a sweltering journey that took well up half the day. Link and Zelda trudged underneath the cliff shade, nearly dragging Midna behind them.

"I'm... Sorry..." Midna gasped. "It's so... Hot... Compared to... Twilight."

"It's okay. Let's just get up the summit." Link said over his shoulder. The trio went on in that awkward fashion in silence for about an hour until Zelda stopped short.

"Do you feel that?" Zelda asked in a slightly panicked voice.

"What?" Link asked, a kernel of panic rising within himself, too. He knew how much raw power that Death Mountain had, and did not want to be around for the fiery aftermath.

"The ground. It's trembling!" Zelda leapt from the side of the path just in time before a huge shard of rock fell from the sky. Link pulled free his Hylian Shield and Master Sword. He directed Zelda to crouch and stood in front of her, shield skyward to protect from more flying debris.

"What in Aiida's name is going on!?" Midna yelled over the explosions.

"An eruption!" Link shouted back. Midna visible paled.  
Red hot stones crashed to the ground around the trio until a crude wall had been formed ten meters from them in all directions. The rock pulsed with heat, and small rivers of lava filled the cracks between them like mortar and brick. Link realized with dread that the three of them were trapped in a molten hot arena. He lowered his shield as the rumbling stopped and stood up.

"What do you want?!" He yelled for anyone to hear, hoping that whoever had caused the arena to form was nearby.

"No need to yell. Inside voices, please." A girl, seeming to defy all of Nayru's Natural Law, walked through the molten rock behind Zelda as if the scalding lava was water. She had tan skin much like the Gorons, but that was where all similarities with the rock-eating race stopped. Hair as white as snow fell in a thick braid to her waist, a beaded brass ring securing the end. Her face was finely structured and reminded Link of a bird. A simple white dress hung from her small frame.

"Who are you?" Link summoned up the courage to ask after a moment of silence.

"I am Jai. You are Link..." She pointed to the surprised young man, before continuing to Zelda. "You are Zelda; don't even bother with the costume around me." Jai wrinkled her nose in disdain when she noticed Midna. "And you are a pathetic failure queen. You don't even belong in the world of light, and are muddying it with your presence and prayers to your barbaric goddesses." Jai stated with a satisfied smile. Link and Zelda were amazed by the brutality and venom of the words.

Midna stared in shock before raising a hand to slap Jai, who recoiled and bounced into the air. Link got the sense that things were taking a turn for the worse.

"I am here to help save your skinny arse from the Shadow Realm! DO NOT tell me what I can and cannot do, who I can and cannot pray to!"

"Fine!" Jai screamed, wind whipping her braid and causing her dress to flap against her calves. "PROVE YOURSELF!" Jai screeched and flung Link and Zelda to a cave overlooking her arena, where Midna now stood alone.

"Bwystfil tanllyd sy'n trigo yn y mynydd, deffro! Anfon dy lid bwrw glaw i lawr ar y interloper digroeso!" Jai chanted with a wicked grin.

Molten rocks began to separate from the walls of the arena as lava poured in to cover the holes. Midna, still seething with fury, did not notice the large beast that had been summoned behind her. It glowed with the light of it's fiery blood, and in the chinks beneath its rock armor veins of magma pumped. Two soulless black eyes contemplated Midna from under the rock helmet. The creature was easily Midna's height, and resembled a man made of fire and stone.

Jai tapped Zelda and Link on the shoulder, making both jump.

"Like it?" She asked. "His name is Baelfire. He's a version of the stupid goddess of shadow that the accursed Twili prays to." Jai grinned. "Only this one is more... Molten."

"Why in Din's name-" Zelda cut Link off, not wanting to anger the powerful girl looking at them expectantly.

"Yes." Link ground out for Midna's sake. "It's very clever."

"Thank you! This is a great place to watch the show!" Jai beamed.

"Attack!"

* * *

Midna screamed as she was slapped across the back by something that burnt like a thousand suns. White hot pain made her screech in agony while she flew across the arena. Turning to face her mysterious attacker she saw the emblem of Bael on it's hood. The face was very handsome, but became ugly when his lips twisted into a sneer.

"Like it?" He asked. The Twili did not answer in favor of hissing in pain. "I wear the symbol of Bael, but in no way am I on your side. I am Baelfire! Much greater than Bael Herself!"

"None are greater than the goddesses Themselves." Midna stood up and summoned the Fused Shadows behind her back. With a scream of pure primal rage she slammed a ball of Twilight Energy into Baelfire's face. He screeched and wiped his eyes, hot liquid pouring from his eyes like tears.

"You dare wound a former queen!?" Midna taunted.

"Former?" Baelfire asked. A cruel grin covered his face once more. "You left your people?! Coward!"

The verbal attack hit Midna in her weak point. Her face collapsed and she lost the look of firm resolution.

"I am no coward." She growled in a threatening, low voice. With all her power she sent a spear of slate through Baelfire's heart, piercing through his tough armor. He grinned and began to pull it out.

"Ah-ah-ah!" Midna said like a mother scolding a child. "Not done yet!" She flicked the end of the spear and sent the bone numbing cold of the Twilight Realm soaring through the slate and into Baelfire's heart. The fire demon screamed and spasmed as he tried to rip the frozen weapon from his hardened magma chest. Prying it free he growled and tossed it at Midna, but the weapon fell short. Looking down at himself Baelfire screeched again, realizing that the magma that gave him form had hardened to a thick paste.

"It's your time to burn!" Baelfire launched a ball of lava at Midna, who was not so lucky in dodging. The liquid fire caught her ankle and seared through her skin. She collapsed on the ground and prayed to Dhae, goddess of death, that she would die quickly.

* * *

"Jai!" Link yelled, no longer able to control himself. "Make this end! She's dying!"

"Why?" Jai said sarcastically. "It's interesting."

"She forgives you! She thinks that you are all powerful!" Zelda yelled to the egotistical young girl.

"_Fine_." Jai rolled her eyes and stood up. "Baelfire, enough!" Jai chanted again, and Baelfire returned to the walls of the arena, which sunk into the mountain it had come from. Midna still lay motionless on the ground.

"Midna!" Zelda jumped down from the cave with a Sheikiah's grace. Link clambered down the rocks after her.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Just give me some blue potion." Midna said, sitting up and talking to the two of three concerned faces.

"Here, that won't work." Jai said crossly. She reached into the folds of her dress and produced a bottle of Golden Chu Jelly. "Now tell me what happened at the castle."

"You should know." Midna replied in agitation as she rubbed the Chu Jelly on her burns. "You're an oracle for Syrenne's sake!"

"Don't mention the names of those blasted goddesses!" Jai's face darkened, and Midna paled in the realization that her life was in the hands of the egomaniacal young girl.

"Alright! The castle was attacked and three triplets seized the throne!"

"No!" Jai shook Midna's shoulders. "This! Is! Not! Happening!" Jai said as if her words would undo the last day.

"What is going to happen?" Zelda asked in concern.

"Hurry. I need to say this in a safe place." Jai led the three into a small cave, and reaching an a chest buried in the sand she pulled out a key and fitted it to a keyhole that Link could barley see even trying to find it. The back of the cave swung open to reveal a long hallway. Jai jogged down the length of it, forcing the rest into a fast pace to keep up. After what felt like miles of running Jai stopped and swing open a door, and entered large domed room lined with lava and marble pillars. In the center was a small pillow that Jai promptly sat on.

"So this is the heart of Death Mountain..." Zelda murmured in awe.

"Come come. I don't have all day." Jai summoned from her perch. "A Goron baby is being born later today and I need to be there."

"What do you need to tell us?" Link inquired.

"You already know that the Shadow triplets have taken the throne." Jai said, raising an eyebrow in question. Link nodded. "That means that the Darkening is coming. I hoped that it would never come... But it must come in the wake of apocalypse, and the Invasion was a time that it would strike. I cannot say much, but I do need to tell you that you must awaken the other five sages if you are to have any hope of salvation. We together may have a chance against the pure power of the Dark Realm."

"We?" Zelda asked.

"Yes, 'we'" Jai retorted, back to her uncaring self. "I'm the Sage of Fire- At least, I am the reincarnation of him."

"I know of Darunia." Zelda said. "Thank you, Jai. It looks like we have our work cut out for us."

"Yes, you do." Jai said. "And here: This will make your disguise more believable." Jai an a finger over Zelda's eyelids and fingered a lock of her hair. "Guddio yn ei hamser o angen"

"What did you do?" Zelda asked, picking up a strand of her now blonde hair.

"I made you look Sheikiah. Your eyes are also red now." Jai stated. "Just say the same thing if you need to turn back." Jai sated.

Midna, Link and Zelda began to thank Jai, but her eyes flashed silver and she stood up abruptly.

"I have to go. The baby Goron is on the way. Be safe! Find the sages!" Jai lumped to a pillar and scaled it to ceiling, and exited to the surface. Link sighed and spoke.

"That was stressful; I never knew if she would blow up or not."

"Agreed." Zelda said with a small smile.

"We should start with the Sage of Forest," Midna said. "Seeing as how you grew up in the forest, you would probably know him or her."

"Alright, forest it is!"

* * *

**Sooo... Who do you guys think will be the Sage of Forest? Stay tuned! I promise the next update will come sooner!**

**Oh, and what was your favorite dungeon in TP? SS? OoT? MM?**

**This has been Po-Po! PEACE!**


	5. Our Sage Taken

**A/N Alright Scarlet Curls... You broke me! I put some hinted Minkna in the end. Whaaa! I'm not sure I want Minknaaaa!**

**I really enjoyed writing this, I hope you guys like it!**

* * *

The first half of the ride to Ordon had gone relatively well thanks to Renado giving Midna and Zelda horses. Zelda had hopped right on her pinto without any hesitation, but Midna stared her horse down for a good five minutes before she declared that the horse had murderous intentions. Needless to say Link forced her to ride, and the Twili hated every minute.

"Spirit really is going to kill me." The Twili said from behind Link, who rolled his eyes and said what he had said on the fourteen other occasions when Midna had insinuated the psychomaniacy of her horse.

"Horses are not murderous." Link deadpanned.

"Well this one is!"

"Nope."

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Fine!" Link yelled, annoyed. "Fine! Your horse is going to kill you!"

"How could you say that!?" Midna yelled. "How could you tell me my horse is going to kill me!?"

"Because you told me that it was going to kill you!"

"No!"

Link sighed.

"Whatever." It was going to be a long ride.

"Link!" Midna said. Link ignored her.

"Link!"

Link stared at his gauntlets, pretending to pick out some dirt stuck in the designs.

"LINK! For Aiida's sake! Look at the Xyraforsaken dirt!" The Twili screamed in fury.

"For Nayru's sweet mercy! What?!" Link yelled with a scowl that quickly left his face as he noticed the state of the ground. The normally lush floor of Faron Woods had been drained of color, and the massive trees were slowly loosing their leaves. The whole woods looked decayed.

"Something's wrong." Midna stated from her nervous horse.

"No kidding, really?" Link asked sarcastically.

"It won't help if you two fight." Zelda said from her perch on her horse. "So I suggest you save the death glares for later. Link: Apologize!" Zelda commanded. Midna sniggered.

"Sorry." The swordsman mumbled.

"Midna, you have to apologize too." Zelda said calmly. Midna's snickers stopped, and she met Zelda's powerful gaze. Nayru had blessed the royal family with authority and strong looks, so Midna, even having been a queen herself, had to look away.

"Fine. I'm sorry." She said to Link. He nodded.

"We should find Bo. He might know what's going on." Link mounted Epona. "Kya!"

Link left in a cloud of dust, Epona plowing ahead on the trail.

"No way in Dhae's fiery realm am I going that fast!" Midna said incredulously to Zelda, who was waiting with a condescending look.

"Fine. Just warp there. I'll take Spirit." Zelda sighed and tied the reigns of Midna's 'murder horse' to her saddle. Zelda slapped her horses flank and was off as fast as Link.

'Some crowd we must be...' Midna thought with a small smile as she prepared to warp with her still limited magic. 'An ex-queen whom the kingdom blames for their downfall, a hero who saved formerly stated kingdom, and the princess of the kingdom in disguise.'

A dark chuckle interrupted her thoughts. The grove became an unnatural cold that made goosebumps pop up on Midna's arms.

"If I had a blue rupee for every time I saw someone as beautiful as you..." A voice sounded from behind Midna. "...I would have five rupees!"

Midna whirled around just as a man swung down from the branch above her. Their foreheads collided and the man toppled off the branch and on top of Midna. The man sat up and wolf-whistled.

"Well, if you aren't as beautiful as Maara herself..." He said. To the Twili's astonishment, the man looked exactly like Link, same age of eighteen and all. He had the same features and the same nervous twitch in his left pinkie, except where Link was light skinned with blonde hair, this young man had skin the color of obsidian and hair to match. In fact, he was pretty much entirely shades of black except for his piercing red eyes.

"You're from the Shadow Realm!" Midna exclaimed.

"No, no, no-" He was cut off when Midna slapped him. His features collapsed from their playful look and into that of a wounded puppy. "I left them..." He said.

"Oh. Sorry." Midna responded awkwardly and touched his cheek where a faint red mark was left by her hand.

"Well, I figured I should step in before Shadow gets _too_ carried away." A young man in purple with similar red eyes stepped out from behind a tree. He had violet hair with a faint lavender tinge in his skin, looking to be about seventeen or eighteen, but it was hard to tell.. The ex shadow warrior in front of Midna, whom was presumably named Shadow, glared at the man in purple.

"And who are you?" Midna asked with a bit of warning in her voice. They better know that she can take car of herself.

"I'm Vaati, the wind mage, and he-" Vaati nodded to Shadow. "Is a no good stalker."

"Hey! Am not!" Shadow yelled indignantly. "I'm Link's copy that V here made to try to challenge him."  
"So, you are Link's enemy?" Midna asked, curling her fist behind her and coating it in magic.

"Nope!" Shadow sang. "We're just conmen!"

"_Shadow!_"

"Uhh, oops. We're... _Merchants?" _Shadow offered to Vaati, who was really ticked off, and proceeded to somewhat yank out his hair.

"Well, I'll hopefully not see you two later. But I have to go." MIdna said hurriedly, and warped out before Vaati and Shadow's fight could escalate. They seemed like an old married couple... Just less loving.

* * *

"What took so long?" Link asked in consternation. "You never take that much time to warp. Are you okay?"

"Yes, yes. Fine" Midna reassured him. "I just met two conmen."

Links eyes grew fierce and he subconsciously made a fist.

"No-It's okay. They were pretty harmless. Believe it or not, one was a dark copy of you. The other was a wind mage."

"Dark copy?" Link raised an eyebrow. "Did he go by 'Shadow?'"

"Yeah, why?" It was Midna's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Did an ancestor face him?" She asked. She knew that when Link was deeply wounded or had no will to go on in his quest that his earlier reincarnations had spoke to him from the afterlife. They had healed him and gave him reason to pick up the blade again.

"Yes. Time fought him, I think. He said that Shadow was a copy of himself that was his, or mine, now, raw emotion that I kept guarded."

"Alright. Have you heard about Vaati before?" The Twili nodded. What could that mean about Link's copy hitting on her?

"Um, yeah." Link scratched the back of his head. "But I heard it from Red, who is my weaker, loving side. He said that Vaati was a scary man who took away Zelda to be his bride. But I don't know if that counts for anything."

"Hey!" Zelda jogged back to Link and Midna from her conversation with Mayor Bo.

"Well...?" Midna stared at Zelda, who had a bit of fear in her eyes.  
"The forest began to die when Ilia went missing."

"WHAT?!" Link screamed. "I knew I should have stayed! I should have married her and settled down like Bo wanted! Argh! I am an idiot!"

"Link! Listen up!" Midna commanded. "I know you want to wallow in self pity, but we have to find her. Zelda?" Zelda looked at Midna from where she was watching Link.

"Yes?"

"Did you find out where she was when they last saw her?"

"Ordona's Spring." Zelda whispered. "We best not tell Link it was right after he left. He would fall to pieces."

"Alright." Midna whispered back. Link was beginning to collect himself.

"Where was she?" Link asked tiredly.

"Ordona's Spring. Let's go." Zelda said, and looked pointedly at Midna._ "You're riding your horse this time."_

_"Fine." _Midna glared and clambered up onto the saddle of Spirit, whom she dubbed MurderHorse.

Link set off full speed for the spring, startling Zelda and Midna's horses into a sprint.

"_Link_! Slow down!" Midna screamed to no avail. The ride that was normally a half hour through the woods to the spirit spring took ten or so minutes, and Midna collapsed to the water of the spring.

"Why... Oh, what a world, what a world..." The Twili gasped. She felt something against her lower back and grimaced.

"What's wrong?" Zelda asked in concern over Midna's expression.

"Something is poking my back." She replied and presented what it was that was hurting her. It was a small black bottle with engraving on it.

"Let me see." Zelda held the bottle up to the light. "I can't read it. It's in a different language than I have ever seen."

Link, who had been watching the whole scene with sadness in his eyes, spoke up.

"It must have been a long time ago. There's nothing in the sand."

"Yes," Midna replied. "but I do feel some leftover magic in the air. A portal spell, most likely. And the bottle has Formal Shade Script engraved on it."  
"So it was the triplets?"

"Sadly, yes." Midna tried to comfort Link who sighed and drooped his head.

"Well, we'll find her. We should try and get to the other sages before the triples. It might be a plan or something of theirs." Link sighed again.

"I think that we should look for the sage of water next; I know that they have to be somewhere around the Zora's Domain." Zelda said.

"What about the others? Shadow, Spirit, Light?" Asked Midna.

"I wouldn't know." Zelda said. "The Sheikiah have died out. The Sage Of Light, Nayru, it could be anyone... And the Gerudo... Well, Link would know that Hyrule isn't on very good terms with them."

"Why?" Midna inquired.

"There was a rebellion a while ago. They lost, and they have held an even deeper hatred to Hylians since. It will be hard to get them to help us." Replied Zelda with a sad smile. "Oh, well. We'll burn that bridge when we get to it."

"How should we get to the Zora Domain?" Midna asked. "It's at least two weeks of riding."

"Could you warp us?" Asked Link. Midna looked down at her tattoos, which were a slightly lighter blue than before.

"I think I need a few more days of recovery."

"Alright, why don't we see what we can do to help out around Ordon?" Zelda asked.

"That's a good idea." Replied Midna. "Though I won't want to impose on you, Link."

"No, it's okay. My house is big, I can even sleep in the spare bed in the basement." Link was somewhat eager to be polite.

"Are you sure?" Zelda asked, her court manners seeming to kick in. "I'm sure that we could-"

"It's fine. Really." Link patted Zelda's shoulder. "It'll be nice for my house not to be so empty."

"If you say so..." Zelda trailed off.

"I do." Link leveled his eyes on Zelda and Midna. "Should we see what we could do? I hear a harvest is going on."

After the Twilit Invasion the villagers, looking to be a more self sufficient town after living off pumpkins and goat cheese, had explored the area around the valley and found a large field accessible from the small end of the lake. The field was surrounded on all sides by cliff, and over the cliff the Bad Lands that no one dared enter. The lush earth was perfect for farming, and Ordon began to export all manner of breads and vegetables. Just now a wheat harvest was in the making, and all of the villagers work was focused on the task of cutting, tying, and milling the wheat in the expanded mill in Talo and Malo's water wheel.

The crop was dying, though. With Ilia gone, the forest was no longer protected and everything was dying, the wheat rotting in its stem. All of the residents of Ordon, including the children, spent all of their days in the field trying to salvage the lost cause.

"Link?" Uli called. She had recently been blessed to give birth to a healthy young boy whom she named Casey.

"Yeah?" Link wiped his brow and jogged over to Uli.

"Do you mind if I head home? Casey gets fussy before supper." Asked Uli, apparently thinking Link was in charge of the whole operation.

"Well of course! Who put me in charge, anyway?" Replied Link. Uli thanked him and tottered through the tunnel on tired legs.

"So, big boss." Midna yelled from across the clearing where she was frustratedly failing at tying together bundles. "Looks like it's just the three of us."

"Yeah. The sun's going down, and most are still edgy to be out around twilight." Link yelled from where he was cutting down swaths of wheat. His sickle was abandoned quickly in favor for the Master Sword, and Link was once again spinning in circles yelling "Hyah!" Like he used to, much to the amusement of Zelda, who followed behind him and picked the good stalks from the rotten. They worked on in such a manner until the moon was well risen, and all three were drooping with fatigue. Half of the field was cleared, and only a good fourth was done when they started.

"We've got seventeen twenty-pound bushels... And eighteen back at the mill..." Counted Midna.

"So around ten sacks of flour?" Link asked.

"No, nine." Zelda corrected him.  
"Well excuse me for never learning math during my quest to save the world!" Teased Link with a playful smile, swinging two bushels of wheat over his shoulder and carrying them though the tunnel to where the last canoe waited. Depositing the wheat he went back through the tunnel to see that Midna and Zelda had rigged a wagon with the Twili's cape.

"Smart, huh?" Midna said with a smirk that gave way to a grin.

"Yeah... But what do you ladies say to a midnight swim?" Link grinned back. "The boat's full... So I guess I have to paddle it back while you swim." A huge teasing smile covered his face.

"Hey!" Yelled Midna, but Link was already paddling away like a bandit. She turned to face Zelda. "Well... I guess we're swimming."

"No, _you're_ swimming." Zelda replied. "I can use Farore's Wind."

"Oh, you little..." Growled Midna. "If I didn't have to conserve my magic..."

"'Bye!" Zelda waved and spun, causing a tube of light to envelope her and teleport her safely to shore. When she reached the shore she promptly grinned and teased the Twili.

Midna grumbled and dove into the water. She never liked swimming, though it had been a necessary skill. It was the feeling of having no control in a current or underwater that scared her. It was so much like when Zant had first attacked her. Midna made a beeline for the dock by Sera's store, and flopped out of the water and onto the pier with chattering teeth, the sweet summer breeze making goosebumps cover her skin.

"Let's go to my house. I'll light a fire, and you can borrow my old clothes." Link suggested, and Midna smiled.

"What? You don't have any dresses?" She asked in mock appall.

"Sorry, but no!" Link replied curtly in the fashion of a butler, giving a deep bow before climbing up the ladder to his front door. Zelda and Midna followed suit and entered the warm and cheerful treehouse. It was just as it had been before the invasion, the table set and covered in an old purple blanket, paintings of the children and letters from them covering the walls, and even the occasional drawing from Colin or Beth.

A small pot of soup bubbled over the coals in the fire, and Link pulled it off and set the pot down on the table, retrieving a loaf of bread and a hunk of Ordon Cheese from a cupboard.

"I'll be right back; let me get my old clothes for you." Said Link as he searched through a wardrobe. "Aha!" He held triumphantly in his hand a worn white shirt and brown trousers. "Here you go!" Link tossed the clothes cheerfully to Midna, who caught them and began descending the ladder to the basement, telling Link and Zelda not to wait for her to begin eating.

Eager to be out of her sopping wet clothes, Midna shed the light fabric and pulled on the white shirt. It smelled like trees and metal and sweat, an odd combination that was distinctly Link. The worn goat wool was warm and soft, and Midna was pleased that the clothes somewhat fit, even if they were a bit large. Pulling on the trousers and tying them with a cord that she managed to dig up, the Twili clambered up the ladder and sat at the table with a thud. Link was eating heartily and Zelda poked at her food tiredly. Midna pulled off a piece of bread and crumbled cheese into it, dipping it in her bowl of soup before smiling and eating a large bite of the broth soaked bread.

"If there was one thing I missed in the Light World, it would be the food." Midna sighed.

"What about me?" Link teased and batted his eyes.

"Yeah, maybe you." Replied Midna with a smile. "But_ only _a little... Okay, maybe a lot."

The evening went on happily as the fire began to burn low, and Zelda declared that the three of them would need every minute of sleep to live through tomorrow. Link insisted on sleeping in the basement and letting the girls share the bed in the loft, but Midna and Zelda decided that they would not want to take Link's bed, so _they_ should sleep in the basement. Neither side yielded until it came to be that all three slept in a pile of blankets in the middle of the kitchen and main area.

The dying embers cast a soft glow over the three lightly snoring bodies, and the night went on in peace. Midna, however, could not sleep, and silently crept out to the front of the house, a porch of sorts above Link's clearing. She sat and stared at the moon for what could have been hours when Link came out and wordlessly sat down next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. Midna nestled her head into his collar, and they stayed like that until dawn came, finally falling asleep leaning on eachother.

* * *

**D'awwww! Here you go, SC. Hope you liked it! My 'a' key is being a pain in the butt... **

**But I think I'll start updating every US time Sunday. Heh... Now to watch a murder show... *cackle* I wonder how that mountain lion got Don... **

**Any of you been watching '****_Whodunnit?'_**** on ABC? It's a good show. Call me morbid but I think the deaths are hilarious. I still think Ronnie is the killer... He knows too much... *retreats into a shadow***

**Oh, yeah. Some questions for you peeps. **

**What are a few of your favorite songs from Loz? **

**I can play quite the multitude on piano, but my favorite is Our Children Taken from TP and Song Of Storms... I also love Kotake and Koumes theme, but there is no way I'd ever try to play it on the piano...**


	6. Fallen Zoras

**Okay, it's Sunday, and *humungous sneeze* I'm sick. So, in between snotfests, I finished this up. **

**I need to tell you something, IT'S SUPER MEGA IMPORTANT THAT YOU READ THIS!**

**You might not see another chapter from me in a while, because I have a LOT going on in the next tow weeks:**

**1). Monday through Friday are dress rehearsals for a play I'm in... I'm doing 'Annie'**

**2). Friday and Saturday are back to back performances of said play.**

**3). Saturday night to Sunday morning I am in the car heading to my honorary grandparents Ranch. I will have no access to technology until Tuesday, but I might stay until Wednesday or Thursday if I'm lucky and get to stay longer in one of my almost cousins tents (my parents must leave early for work.)**

**4). The trip home takes seven or eight hours. **

**5). On that Saturday I am getting surgery to remove an extra tooth that fused with one of my permanent teeth and got stuck up in my face somewhere.**

**6). Right after my surgery my parents are making me get in the back of a cramped car in drugged stupor to drive four hours to where we live half our lives.**

**7). There at said house I will have one week until my relatives come.**

**8). Said relatives will be there for a week until school starts... August 19th.**

**BUT! I will stay up all night before my surgery on an anime marathon. I might be able to write then and in the week at my house without relatives.**

**So please don't kill me if I don't write for, like, a month.**

* * *

"Link?"

Link blearily opened his eyes, taking in his surroundings. Midna was leaning on him, face buried in his shoulder. She was still in his rumpled old clothes. Even though his shoulder was sore from harvesting, it wasn't necessarily uncomfortable; he liked the feeling of the Twili under his arm. He looked down. Fado was yelling up at him. Couldn't Fado just wait for a later hour? He seemed to be up at at Link's door before dawn_ every day._

"Quiet. She's sleeping. What?"

"Who is she?" Inquired Fado as he peered at the Twili. She still had her pale greenish skin, and some of her cyan tattoos showed on her neck, face, arms, and legs. Link inwardly groaned as he realized that she did not look Hylian. At all.

"A friend. What do you need?" Link bristled. He didn't think that the villagers would take kindly to a Twili. The people of Ordon were traumatized by the Twilight, and refused to even acknowledge the year in which it covered Hyrule.

"Oh... Okay. I was wonderin' if you want to herd the goats again today..." Fado rubbed the back of his head. "Seein' as how you haven't been around for a while."

"I will... But later, alright?" Link urged. Midna stirred.

"Wha-at?" She yawned and stretched away from Link. Fado left, mumbling an apology for waking the Twili up.

"Just Fado." Replied Link. "You can go back to sleep if you want."

"No, no." Midna yawned again. "I'm up. Let's check on Zelda." She walked slowly into the house. "Sorry for falling asleep on you..."

Link blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "N-no. No problem."

Zelda was curled up in a tiny sphere on the floor. She had wrapped up in all three blankets and only her nose peeked out from a minuscule opening. Midna and Link couldn't help but chuckle at the cute and un-queenly way Zelda slept.

"Morning, Princess." Link stepped over Zelda to get to the fire, which had died down to a few desperate embers.

"Whashabreaksha?" Mumbled Zelda as she rolled over in her mass of wool blanket. Poking her face out she grimaced. "I'm stuck."

"Sure thing." Midna grinned and grabbed a corner of the blanket. Zelda began to protest as she saw the Twili's plan, but Midna snapped the corner and sent the entire wad spinning across the floor, the princess trapped inside screaming until she careened into Link, causing him to fall backwards and catapult the half-cooked eggs into the air. Midna stood, mouth agape, as the two smashed out the door and over the railing to the ground below. As if to finish it all off, the five eggs Link had been cooking landed on her head, dripping down her hair in a gooey mess.

Link's hand appeared on the edge of the deck. "Let's _never _do that again."

"Agreed." Midna said. As soon as Link got up, he turned to help Zelda. Only then did he see Midna, who was still dripping in Cuckoo egg.

"I.." Link guffawed. "I think a swim would be good, O Queen of Cuckoos!"

"Hey!" Midna yelled. She grabbed a handful of flour and slung it at the laughing hero. He ducked, though, and it hit Zelda right in the face.

"Oh.. No.." She kept her eyes closed in an evil calm. "You didn't."

"Yes I did!" Midna gleefully danced out of the way of a loaf of bread, thrown by Link. She retaliated with a pile of dough that had been sitting on the chopblock. It hit Link, splattering over his face and chest. Zelda grinned and took the chance to shove raspberries in both of her companions faces. Midna growled in mock anger and leapt at Zelda, who darted out the door and down the trail to Ordon. Link grinned in his uniquely lopsided way, and pointed at Midna's cheek.

"You have a little egg there." He chuckled.

"Oh yeah? Where _don't _I have Cuckoo egg?" Laughed Midna. "Let's get her!"

Link and Midna dashed down the trail, catching up to Zelda quite quickly. After all, they had just saved the world from evil monsters. Link learned how to run madly very quickly.

He swing the squealing princess over his shoulder, running over to the edge of the small lake in Ordon.

"KAMAKAZEEEEEE!" Link soared through the air and into the lake, dragging Zelda with him. She broke the surface sputtering, with a huge smile on her face.

"You... Asked for it!" She yelled, and pulled Midna in by the ankle.

"Hey, at least we're clean." Link offered to Midna, wo was holding on to a dockpost and glowering.

"I hate water."

* * *

After drying off in the warm sun, Midna suggested that she and her two companions go to Fado's ranch. Upon arrival the goats had been going crazy, Fado absolutely helpless. Link, taking pity, herded the unruly goats in a life or death struggle. Maybe not a life or death struggle, but that was how it looked to Midna and Zelda, who sat on the grass in the shade of the cliff. They spent the rest of the day talking and laughing about various childhood stories, until it was almost sundown. The last rays of the sun glinted in golden ribbons over the cliff, and the clouds were cotton candy shades of pink and purple. The sweet night air blew in from the south.

"So Jinx and I were creeping through the palace kitchen, still thinking that it was a ghost in the cupboards. Then, we heard his enormous noise, and I turned to see that Jinx was gone! I was so scared!" Midna was recounting a story from her childhood. "I turn around, and there was a huge white sheet, that glowed and roared at me. It scared me half to death; I was only six, after all. So I just sat on the floor and _wailed_. The sheet dropped and it was Jinx, holding up a Sol..." Midna's voice softened. "I really miss him... I hope he's doing all right."  
"From what you said of him during the Invasion, I'm sure that the people love him." Link patted Midna's shoulder. "Did I ever tell you about the time Ilia and I convinced the kids that the pumpkins in my field were haunted?"

"I've heard this one." Zelda got up and yawned. "I think I'll go to bed. Don't stay up too long."

Link recounted his story after waving goodnight to Zelda. When he was done the moon had risen well into the sky, and he and Midna sat on the grass for the longest time, not talking, just watching the stars.

"I wonder where Ilia is..." Link whispered, so quietly that Midna didn't know if he had said it or she had thought it.

Link sighed and leaned onto Midna. She smiled and moved in front of him, allowing Link to prop his chin up on the top of her head, and she nestling herself into him.

"Link...?"

"Yes?"

"We'll find her. I know it." Affirmed Midna. "We'll head to the Zora Domain tomorrow, see if we can find Ruto's descendant. And somehow we will find Ilia."

Link leaned over and lightly kissed Midna's forehead.

"Yeah, we will."

* * *

Zelda stood with her hands on her hips, staring disapprovingly at the duo who had fallen asleep in the field. She had to admit, though, that it was really cute. Link had his back against the cliff wall, and sitting in his lap was Midna, his arms draped around her. Links face had fallen forward in sleep so that it was next to the Twili's, and his oh so beloved hat was dangerously close to falling off his head.

"Hey lovebirds: Wake up." Zelda smiled and lightly nudged Midna's knee with her foot.

"Wha-?" She stretched her arms upward, accidentally hitting Link in the jaw, who woke up with a start.

"Who-?" A very startled Link stood up quickly, knocking Midna out of his lap. "Heh... Sorry."

"No worries... I did hit you in the jaw." Midna replied, a light blush creeping up her neck.

"Yeah. Okay..." Link whistled awkwardly, looking around for something to divert the attention from him and Midna. "Let's get ready to head to the Zora Domain- If you've regained your energy?"

"Yes, I have enough. Bring what you must, though. I can't warp like I used to." Midna glumly replied. "I haven't got the Royal Shard. It gives true royalty power unlimited. I gave my rank up, so It moved to the next True Heart in the bloodline: Jinx. I still have the Fused Shadows, though."

"Alright. Sorry to hear it." Link walked over to some horse grass and called Epona. "Let's go." He glanced at Midna comfortingly. "It's just a ten minute ride through the village to my house."

"Fine." Midna grumbled and climbed on the large horse.

* * *

"Ready?" Link called to the two girls, who were in the basement trying to get Midna fitted into a tunic and . After scrounging around the village, Link managed to collect another tunic for Midna, a woman's tunic that hadn't been used for seventy years, when there had last been a woman warrior in the villages defense. It was a deep royal blue, almost black. He wondered what was taking so long. Link sighed and stuffed more bread into his Adventure Pouch, a thing that Sky had originally acquired from a friend, though Time, Link's closest ancestor, was the one to enchant it to hold anything and everything. "Need help?" He yelled for what felt like the hundredth time.

"No!" Came back at him for the hundredth time.

"Yes, you do. I'm coming down. Cover yourself!" Link jumped down the ladder. Zelda was in her ancestors Sheikiah suit. Midna, however, was still in her flannel shirt and leggings, trying to get the chain mail on.

"We have no clue how to tie the outside of the chain to the inside of the tunic." Zelda said.

"Umm, there are strings, you see." Link said awkwardly, embarrassed to see Midna in her underwear. **(A/N: Remember that in this time period in this realm that the flannel is considered underwear.) **

"Easier said than done." Midna replied crossly. "Just help me already."

"But- You're in your-" Link protested, blushing furiously.

"This?" Midna asked. "This is more covering than I have worn in my life. So shut up and help me!"

"Fine." Link was sure his face was tomato red as he tied _the_ strings of the chain-mail to the strings of the tunic, fixing the two together so that the chain was like an inner lining. "Here." He tossed the fabric at Midna and made an embarrassed escape.

Zelda walked up to Midna and helped her tie the lacing in the back. "He likes you, you know."

"No-No, he doesn't." Midna protested. "We're just friends."

"Think what you wish. Let's go, Link has all the supplies ready." Zelda climbed the ladder, Midna after her.

"Alright, everybody hold on to me. This might be a little rough."

* * *

_Ripping._

_Tearing._

_Blackness._

_So much blackness._

* * *

They emerged from the portal, supposedly to the Zora Domain. Instead they were greeted with the deepest black they could imagine, putting the inky depths of the ocean to shame in their fierce thievery of light. The entire cove was draped in darkness.

Link felt the familiar stretching and tearing as his spine curved and fur erupted from his skin. The transformation was surprising and unfamiliar, faster possibly, than the last time he had changed into his wolf form. A sudden, striking pain hit him in the fore head, where Zant's shard had hit him. Pain spiked through his bones, and the edges of the world grew dark.

Midna glared down at her hands. She knew this! She was being reverted to her Soul Form! The Imp that Zant had cast her into, it was her core! The Shadow Mist must be doing it! Midna glanced around. Link was in his wolf form, without a doubt. Zelda, though, was a mystery. Midna screamed. It seemed like an icy dagger was being twisted in her heart. What was this?! She fell to her knees as the pain became too much. Her head lolled and she fell forward.

Zelda felt herself dimming, fading into the background. Sleepy, she was so sleepy. Her edges were fading, dissipating. She looked at her chest, only to see that she was a blue spirit, a floating ball of energy making up her heart. She had no time to search for Midna or Link before she heaved a great sigh and fell forward, unconscious.

Three figures emerged from the dark, and scooped up their fallen captives.

* * *

**So, bye. If you don't know why I'm saying bye, read the top author note.**

**Who was your favorite character in SS? OoT?**


	7. Usurped Domain

**Oh. My. Din.**

**You guys will not BELIEVE what happened this weekend.**

**So, in the previous chapter I explained that I was going to my honorary grandparents ranch, right? Well, my family let me miss my surgery and stay at the ranch for two more days with some close family friends. So it went well until Friday, when we were supposed to leave. We were two days of driving from home, and we packed us three kids, two dogs, their mom and dad, and about five hundred pounds of crapola into an ****_oooooold _****VW Wolfsburg Bus. It all went well on the first day, we drove out and through the Avenue of the Giants, and it was stunning. I have decided to move to the redwood forests now. Really, the most beautiful place I have seen.**

**But anyways, on the second day we stopped at an am/pm gas station, and the car wouldn't start up. We had to unload everything from the trunk because the engine is in the back. Can you imagine that? Here we were, standing in a gas station parking lot, all of our stuff piled on the ground. We were hopeless. So hopeless, in fact, that a homeless man walked up and tried to give us money. It was kinda funny.**

**After waiting for four hours like that, trying desperately to fix the engine, the tow company showed up and towed us to a really gross motel, where we got a Chinese food dinner, but steered clear of the meat. That place was REALLY sketchy. We were pretty afraid to eat there, hoping and praying that what we did eat wouldn't give us salmonella or something. **

**In the morning we moped around the hotel. Wynn, who I didn't even know knew anything about Majora's Mask, got a super serious look on her adorable six year old face and said in a grave tone: Dawn of the Third Day! 24 Hours Remain! **

**So we moped around the hotel pool until some guy that dad met at Safeway on a midnight diaper run showed up with the part we needed! When the three of us heard the old car start up we rand screaming and sopping wet through the lobby to jump in and get the hell outta there! We looked like madmed but HWO CARES!? Yay!**

**I decided, even though I really need to sleep, that I would crank out the rest of this chapter.**

**Oh, and NEVER eat Taco Bell for breakfast. We did. It was awful. **

**So just... Don't.**

* * *

Link rolled over on the cold stone. He felt something familiar on his wrist... What was it? He pried open his eyes to see in shock that he was once again in his wolf form. Adrenaline coursing through his veins, he bolted upright and crashed his head to the ceiling of the cell. It seemed Link was trapped in a low, dank, damp hole in a wall. Most likely deep inside the cliffs around the Zora Domain. His cell was long and narrow, with a low ceiling. About the length of a large man, with maybe three feet across, and three feet in height. Upon inspection, the bars covering the front were thin and fragile. It was clicking together. He was in the mausoleum! Of course! He glanced down. There were small scraps of fabric, and splinters of bone. But no body, thank Nayru. He knew that something much like Twilight covered the lad of the Zoras, something that turned him to a wolf. He worried for Midna and Zelda. Poking his snout through the bars, Link looked around. He had guessed correctly. The long hallway seeming to go as far as the eye could see was in front of him, keeping every dead member of the Zora race within its walls. Link howled softly, using the call he and Midna had communicated with.

A faint buzzing began to fill his head, and he heard something speak.

Link? Midna's voice came through into Link's mind. He whimpered and tried to respond. Link, you have to listen! Zelda and I are in a masouleum, or something, and one of the shadow triplets came by! She said she was Nyx... And that she was the queen of the Zoras. Midna's voice faded. Zelda wants to speak with you. She's some sort of spirit, but she, unlike the normal people, can retain her form.

Ze-lda? Link managed to force through his mind.

Yes, it's me. Link, you have to find us. I'm in the same cell as Midna, but Nyx put some magic blocker spell on it after seeing a bar that Midna broke. We can't get out, but I'll bet you can. The cells across from us... They're full, and they have the numbers two hundred and thirty and so on on them. I think we're near the end of the hall... None of them have anything in them, just relics from the first generation of Zoras. Where are you?

Link glanced around at the numbers across from him and mentally cursed.

Two th- ousand an- d two. He tried to mentally communicate, but failed. He had never learned any magic, only seen Midna cast Twili spells, and Zelda summon the Light Spirits. It was a pain to be incompetent at it. Link felt as though he was letting them down, somehow.

What are you doing! A woman's voice, commanding and yet smooth as silk, flowed into Link's mind.

She's seen us communicating! Midna cried into Link's mind. Help! Go!

The buzzing that filled his head left. A sinking feeling arose in the pit of Link's canine stomach. What if he had just condemned them? Link snarled and backed to the end of the small chamber. With a furious bark he lunged forward and knocked the thin bars away, freeing himself.

His ears pricked. He heard something. Running down the hall, it became clear to him that it was a boy's voice.

"Anyone? Please, help!" The person sobbed. It sounded as if they'd been crying for hours, voice rasping with overuse. "She's hurt, she's hurt!"

Link sped to the crypt it was coming from. Inside, behind the narrow seashell bars, he saw Prince Ralis. He was crying openly, tears gushing down his face. "No! Stay away!" He hollered at Link. "Don't eat her!"

Link sat obediently, showing he was no enemy. Wagging his tail and barking twice, he jumped up and padded off down the hall, hopefully conveying the message that he was getting help.

Five hundred.

Four hundred.

Three hundred.

Two hundred! He made it!

Link barked. Nothing. Counting along, he found number two hundred thirty. He yipped.

"Link?" Zelda cried. "Oh, Midna, it's Link!"

"Get us out! Before _She _comes back." Midna demanded. She was in her imp form again, and she was obviously ticked off.

"Good to see you too." Link growled playfully. He and Midna had a way of communicating when they were nearby, due to a spell she had used when they first met. It helped a lot, considering he spent so much time in that form.

"Let's save the sentimentality for later." Zelda piped from behind Midna. She looked ghastly, much like herself when Ganondorf possessed her.

Link backed against the opposite wall, crouching and building up energy in his spring-like canine legs. He jumped and tore the grate away from the coffin.

"Ralis is in a cell with someone hurt. We have to go." Link barked for Midna and Zelda to follow. He grunted when Midna dropped onto his back in the abrupt way he always did in the Twilight.

"Right. On then!" Midna exclaimed. "Giddyup!"

* * *

Ralis looked down at the girl in the cell with him. He had long stopped begging for help, knowing now that it would never come. She was dying, and there was nothing he could do. The girl saved him during the Twilight Invasion; She brought him to Renado when he had fainted in Castletown. The girl who had shown him such kindness was dying, and he could do nothing. Nyx, the woman who took over, had most likely put the girl in the cell with him to exemplify the hopelessness of his situation. The wolf, though looking familiar, would not help him. It was hopeless. That horrible woman was worse that the shadow creatures!

Ralis cocked his head. He heard something!

The faint scratch of claws on stone, had the beasts that the Shadow woman brought come to kill him?

No, it couldn't be. There was faint chatter, in a language not Hylian, but not what Nyx babbled in.

"Hello?" He cried weakly. He prayed with all his heart that the newcomer was friendly.

"Is this who you were talking about?" An orb of light bobbed as it spoke, giving shape of a young woman whom Ralis recognized as the Queen Zelda.

"Majesty!" Ralis exclaimed.

"Shh!" A small creature popped up from the blue eyed wolf's back. "We don't have much time. We need to go if you have any hope of-" The creature screeched as it was catapulted off of the wolfs back by a large explosion of shadow. Zelda flew across the room, and the wolf could barley hold its ground.

Dark laughter surrounded the room.

"Leaving so soon?" Bit by bit, the shadow from the explosion converged to form the Shade who trapped Ralis and stole his throne. Her fiery crimson hair and silver runes gleamed in the low light of the deep night she had cast over the Zora Domain. Pieces of the dark mist that had not converged to form her were lazily swirling around her body, covering her immodesty, slowly drifting to form a silver wrap around her upper chest and a deep, long charcoal skirt at her waist, leaving her black stomach bare. Nyx was stunning but for the cold determination and malice burning in her pearly silver eyes.

"You!" The imp creature yelled in fury. "You should have stayed in the Shadow Realm where your hell-sent race belongs!"

Nyx brushed the brutal insult off casually, with the lazy ignorance of a cat that had its prey cornered. "Bold words for a former queen. _Especially_ one who is in _my_ element, where _I _have elevated power."

The imp responded with a scalding glare.

"The blue-eyed hero, oh, how I have longed to meet you- That is, meet you so I could kill you slowly, agonizingly." Nyx fixed her sharp glare at the wolf, and Ralis recognized the beast. It was the wolf that saved the Zoras when they were frozen! It was Link!

Nyx droned about the ways she would kill Link, but Ralis was distracted by Zelda, who had bobbed over to him stealthily.

"We think that you are the Water Sage, and I don't expect you to know what that is, but you must know that you have immense power bubbling within yourself. You must try to summon light here." Zelda whispered. "Please try with all your heart; it's the only way we could hope to fight off Nyx."

Ralis nodded. "Distract them, and I'll try."

* * *

Link dodged a blow from the shadow woman, who shrieked with anger when he counterattacked by jumping and biting her forearm. She glared at Link, cold determination and bloodthirsty resolution glinting behind her silver pupils.

"You dare attack your queen?" She screeched. Link barked. _What a nutjob._ He thought. _Queen? Zelda is my queen!_

Leaping forward to again ferociously bite the usurper Link was knocked back by a burst of energy that burned his lungs and clouded his vision.

"Ah, I see... The son of Light cannot stand the Fog... Interesting..." Mused Nyx, throwing a mockingly sympathetic look at Link. He wheezed and stood shakily, seeing Midna sneak around the false queens back. Midna summoned her Fused Shadows while Link leapt around Nyx and nipped at her ankles, effectively distracting her not to notice the Twili behind her, or the Zora prince to her left.

"One would think you had the mind of a-" Nyx began a retort at Links childish behavior but was cut off when Midna appeared behind her, in her Twilit Arachnid form brought on my the Fused Shadows. A pulsing arm lifted Nyx from the ground. Midna grinned with savage glee and shook the Shade like a doll, spinning her around and around. Nyx feverently bit down on the appendage holding her, and Midna screamed as black ink pumped through the arm.

"Better." Nyx rose from the Twili's blackened form triumphantly, focusing on Zelda. "Trying to escape?" Nyx asked teasingly. Zelda looked up from coaching Ralis, who was beginning to form a small ball of light in his hands.

"Hey!" Midna flew to Nyx's face. "You can't get rid of me that fast!" Summoning a ball of Twilit energy the small imp fired at the Shade's face.

"You can't possibly believe that petty spark will work on me? No, that would be offensive!" Nyx retorted and threw Midna across the room.

Almost there! Zelda yelled into Link's mind with her telepathic powers.

A slow, hazy light began to envelop the room, appearing from Prince Ralis' cell. He had a look of utmost concentration plastered to his young face, and the sphere shrunk. Link bowed his head, knowing that they were defeated, until in a supernova of luminescence, the entire mausoleum was covered in blinding beams of light, evoking a screech of fury from Nyx.

"Do not take this as victory! I will return!" The Shade woman screamed over the hum of magic. "Do not think you win, do not hope I am weakened!" Nyx sprinted to Ralis' cell, reaching madly for the girl behind him, eventually grasping her limp wrist and dissolving the girl and herself into small fiery orange splinters, arching through the ceiling and out to the sky. They soon disappeared completely, leaving behind the four former captives.

'Oh, please, no.' Link had time to think before his bones began to shift and creak back into his human form. Fur fell away, his snout shrunk to a nose, back straightened, tail receded, legs elongated, ears repositioned, handcuff disappearing. Looking up from his transformation he saw that the mausoleum, and most likely the Zora Domain, were back to normal, and Ralis free.

"Is he okay?" Asked Link, staring concernedly at the young prince in Zelda's arms.

"Hopefully he's just exhausted from using that much power for the first time." The princess responded. "I would not have liked for him to start using magic so suddenly, and so intensely, but I fear it was necessary."

"Yes, I think so, Princess Sheikiah." Midna stretched and used a nickname she had though up when seeing Zelda in the ancient armor. "I also think we need to get the heck out of here. No telling when those Shadowdorks will come calling.

"I have a feeling they won't try for a while." Said Link with a slight smile. "A sage is a bit much to deal with, no?"

"H-hey." Ralis stirred.

"Sleep, you've worked hard. Nyx left, and we're taking you back to the throne room." Zelda smiled down at the prince. "Lets go. Link?" She shifted the Zora in her arms. "Could you carry him? I'm afraid that I'm not quite strong enough to carry him on my own."

"Yeah, of course." Link settled the prince on his shoulders and began the long trek out of the mausoleum.

* * *

**I'm so dreadfully sorry, but I don't think I'll be able to write until September, very late August at least. It's just way too busy.**

**Oh, and since I didn't mention it in the top note, thanks a million to:**

**Scarlet Curls:** Eeheehee! I just couldn't resist the cliffhanger! I'm just evil like that!

Darn! How'd you guess! (Just kidding) I don't think that'll happen... To me the triplets steadfast conviction that all Light and Twilight is traitorous and evil just wouldn't allow them to fall for, say, Drake and Midna or Link and Darcy... But it is a funny thought! *looks at Darcy*

Darcy: DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!

Me: *evil chuckles*

Drake: *sobbing* I-I just don't think I'm ready for a relationship after the Great Fairy... Or about half of the girls in the Shadowland...

Nyx: Woman womanizer oh womanizer baby you you you are, you you you are! Womanizer womanizer womanizer...!

Me: I think I've confused the readers who weren't in on our PM's sufficiently... It's so funny how we changed those three from coldhearted killers to a PDA-aphobe, a womanizer, and a lunatic... *sigh* Memories...

On afterthought... I THINK I SHOULD ALSO CUT DOWN ON CAPSLOCK! XD

**Guest: **After meticulously deciphering your extreme texter-speak (and misspelling) I think I can understand you enough to say thank you... And I hope you come in peace. Shall I take you to my leader? XD just kidding. I don't think I would shoot you with 'flaming arriws' lol... XD

**Oh, yeah, soooooo... What do you think Links greatest weakness is?**

**I personally believe that it would be his family, friends and loved ones, or just anyone in need. Like, if Ganon was holding Zelda and standing on the edge of a cliff, even though Zelda would tell Link to shove them both off and save Hyrule (cos that's just how most of the Zeldas are) Link (as all Links are) would refuse to let Zelda die and then kill Ganon epically while keeping his hair looking great. XD**

**So, yeah, sorry for my sporadic updates, but I'll probably see you lovely peeps sometime in the land of Laterville.**


	8. Shadow Twin

**Enjoy :) This would have been up Monday but FF wouldn't let me update doc manager for some reason... huh.**

* * *

The tall domed throne room of the Zora Domain flickered with the low light of torches, illuminating the water and dousing the room in golden light. Three figures were shuffling around the throne, waiting anxiously for word from Zelda. She had gone to the library, leaving Link and Midna behind to care for Ralis, who was then awake and healthy.

"I found something!" Zelda exclaimed, bursting into the throne room and drawing the rapt attention of the three waiting.

"What does the book say?" Asked Ralis eagerly. "And what's that medal have to do with it?"

"I'm getting there, but first I should ask Link to enlighten us on his ancestors, Time, adventure." Zelda responded. "I heard something about he being the one to awaken the sages?"

"Yes, he did." Link said. "He told me that after they awakened, they gave him a medallion that added to his own power. Though, he said her returned them afterward to their original owners."

"And look what I have here!" Zelda proudly presented a medallion that glimmered in light of the torches. It fit in her palm perfectly. The medallion was a deep blue circle, royal as the family that ruled the Domain. On it were four strange cylindric carvings, seeming that if they went a bit longer they would intersect perfectly in the middle.

"Is that a medallion?" Link asked in astonishment.

"That's the..." Ralis seemed lost in thought. "My grandmother, Queen Ruto, used to tell me about it... When I was little."

"Queen?" Link asked. "So Ruto did get married."

"Yes. She married a Zora named Japas, from far away."

"Must've caused a stir." Midna stated casually. "Japas is a Terminian name, right?"

"Termina died out ages ago, though..." Zelda replied.

"Yes, I have heard of their unfortunate history. Termina.." Midna shrugged irritatedly. "I don't know how to describe it. I think of it as the moon, as Termina is that of Earth but not, all at the same time. The Twili, for a time, were able to contact Termina, but that is because it was not a place and realm of it's own, it floated through existence, taking aspects of other places and times."

"What happened to Termina, then?" Ralis asked.

"Well, my ancestor, Time, saved it from the moon colliding into by the power of a mask. But I didn't know it was wiped out." Said Link.

"Sadly, a year later floodwaters drowned the small place." Zelda said. "It seems as if it is hit by catastrophe after catastrophe."

"That's too bad. Jinx would be sad, seeing as how his former best friend is from Termina." Midna smiled. "He was Zant. So maybe not that sad." Zant, though he was Twili, was born in Termina when his mother went there on court business. Ever since he was treated as an outcast because the proper birth rights for a noble had not been performed on him. Midna and Jinx, the only other royal children that accepted him, had become very close friends.

"Midna, really?" Link asked, barely containing his smile. "You and Jinx were best friends with Zant!?"

"_And_," Zelda added, laughing too. "At one point they were to be married!"

"Well that was before Zant went-" Midna was cut off when someone finished her sentence for her.

"Insane?" A voice from the shadows behind the pillars asked. The guards that had been grinning along with the four snapped to attention, raising coral spears and stalking to the throne. From behind the throne came none other than Shadow and Vaati, looking guilty and barley suppressing the smirks on their faces.

"Drop any weapons!" A guard called. "Back away from the prince."

"Okay, okay." Shadow spoke, depositing a sword, boomerang, bombs, a spinner, ball and chain, clawshots, a bow and quiver, Dominion Rod, daggers, and many other weapons. Links face showed blatant shock at the arsenal that mirrored his own perfectly, except for...

"Oh, wait." Shadow said to the dumbfounded guards. "Here." He pulled out a small piece of parchment and a stubby chalk, holding them up and looking around like he was holding biowarfare tech. "There. Wouldn't wan't to put anyone in danger." Shadow gently deposited them on the floor. In front of Vaati was a mere dagger and slingshot.

"Are you making fun of me?" Ralis asked.

"Maybe." Shadow replied, the smirk that constantly decorated his face tugging up.

Ralis snorted and turned to his head guard.

"Well, obviously since they snuck in they are criminals, so please, do enlighten them on what happens to the convicted here?" The guard smiled and cracked his knuckles at the two conmen.

"Hey, whoa, dude, we don't mean any harm!" Shadows smirk fell away as the guard continued to advance.

"We wanted to speak to..." Vaatis eyes combed the room. His gaze fell on Midna. "Uh, yeah, the Twili!"

The head guard punched Shadow in the jaw, sending him to the floor. Vaati made a move to go to his comrade and was punched in the gut.

"Midna?" Link asked, all traces of laughter gone from his eyes. "Who are those two? How do you know them?"

"I'm not sure..." Midna tapped her temple. "I recognize them from somewhere."

"Ey, beautiful, that all you got?" Shadow taunted. "Oh, wait... Pardon me. I made a mistake. I thought that your rear was your face... Is it?" The guard growled and punched the cocky man in the face again.

"Oh, Dhae!" Midna cursed. "They're the conmen I met in Faron!" She ran to the guard and grabbed his bicep, stopping the blow intended for Shadows face.

"Don't interfere!" He bellowed, shaking Midna off and tossing her on top of Shadow. Her face was mere centimeters from his. He slowly opened his eyes, and then let a smug grin take over his fearful expression.

"Kiss me if I'm wrong, but this is Death Mountain, right?" Midna frowned. "Oh, it's not? Well then wheres my kiss?" Shadow began to lean upwards to Midnas face when she slapped him and stood up.

"Why not land one more good punch, eh?" She asked the guard. He obliged with a swing to Shadows gut.

"Oof... Good to see you too... Princess." Shadow smiled again. "I have a booboo on my lips... Will you kiss it better?" Midna responded with a quick knee to his precious male organs. Doubled over and gasping, as he was, Shadow still managed to laugh.

"You just don't know when to quit, do you?" Midna shook her head and trotted over to Vaati, whom Zelda was deep in conversation with.

"Sheik," Midna used the name they had agreed on to hide the princesses identity. "You've got this handled?"

"Yeah, Vaati and I have come to an understanding, I presume?" Zelda shot a sideways glance at Vaati, who nodded with a bow.

"You know," Midna said to the bowing mage. "I like you more than your friend. Definitely more polite."

"Hah, you shouldn't let him hear that." Vaati commented with a thin grin. "Though he is telling the truth when he says you're beautiful."

Midna raised and eyebrow. "I'll give you five seconds to protect yourself before you look like your bud over there."

"Okay, okay." Vaati chuckled. "I guess I can't complement you without being hurt, hm?"

"Yep, that's pretty much it!" Midna cheekily responded before she noticed Link leaning against a pillar. He was glowering in Midna's direction, obviously displeased.

"Link, calm down." Midna patted his arm. "I don't think I need to suffer from your 'angst rays' when they're turned up this high." She stopped smiling when Link didn't look up. "Really, Link, tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing, nothing." Link said, shaking his head. "I just don't like that Shadow guy very much. He looks like me, talks like me, even carries the same weapons as me."

"I think he's your dark twin." Midna frowned at Links misunderstanding. "Your opposite. They live in the world opposite of yours, and share every quality with you."

"Alright." Link responded. "I wonder who's stronger..."

"I have an idea!" Midna whispered something into Links ear, and he smiled.

"I like that idea."

* * *

"Ready!" Midna called as she looked over the two contestants. Both Link and Shadow had stripped to their leggings to swim in a race across Lake Hylia. Link grinned at Shadow.

"Ready to see me at the finish line?"

"That depends." Shadow responded. "Are you ready to get beaten by your twin?"

"Go!"

Both the swordsman were off in a flash, racing across the lake, beating up waves all over the normally calm surface.

_If only he could swim that fast when we were in the Zora Temple... _Midna sighed and teleported to the finish line, only to see Shadow and Link cross it at the exact same time.

"Huh, a tie." Vaati remarked. "That was my guess; you two are exactly the same in body. How would you beat yourself?"

Shadow grinned as he climbed to the bank and shook his hair, sending water droplets flying everywhere. "Like this!" He tackled Link to the ground, pinning the unsuspecting hero.

"Hey!" Link exclaimed and shoved Shadow off. An evil smile crossed his face as he tackled back Shadow. The two rolled and fought on the floor for about five minutes, Midna, Vaati, Zelda and Ralis watching earnestly, when Zelda began to pull Link off.

"They'll destroy eachother before they lose, and I kind of need him to save Hyrule." The princess yanked Link from Shadows headlock.

"And I kind of need my partner in crime." Vaati smiled and helped Shadow up.

"But," Ralis said, raising a finger, "I think we still have a few more events lined up for you two."

"It's on." Link and Shadow said unanimously.

* * *

At sunset, Midna read the results to two very exhausted teens.

"Swimming: Tie

Running: Tie

Archery: Tie

Magic... You both blew something up, so I'd say failure."

"All that leaves is swordsmanship." Said Vaati.

"I'm exhausted." Remarked Shadow. "Can we wait till morning?"

"I don't see why not." Ralis tapped his chin in thought. "I think we have three guest rooms in the palace right now; it's always been on the smaller side. I'm sorry, but some of you have to double up."

"Hey, Midna, why don't you an me double up." Shadow smirked when he saw Link practically explode.

"You wish." Midna scowled. "Link, please punch him."

"Midna and I will double up." Zelda said, stepping into the situation to pacify the two agitated twins. A sly glint passed over her eyes; even princesses could be evil from time to time. "And I think that Shadow and Link should share."

"WHAT?" Said swordsman yelled.

"I completely agree." Vaati yawned. "Besides, I tend to move around in my sleep. I wouldn't want to disturb any of you." Sarcasm dripped like honey from his voice. "I'm so dreadfully tired, I think I'll go to bed. Ta-ta." Vaati disappeared down a hallway.

"I should go too." Zelda excused herself. Ralis had already left to avoid the rage that was sure to come.

"I don't want to get involved." Midna stated the obvious. "So I'm out. Try not to break anything."

"I'm leaving." Link scowled and turned for the door.

"_Lo-ocked~!"_ Midna sang before shutting the door to the room she shared with Zelda.

"Strange." Zelda remarked to the Twili as she unwrapped her headscarf. "I don't hear any yelling."

"Or any breaking, for that matter." Midna flopped onto the plush king bed.

"Aren't you going to take off your chainmail?" Zelda asked as she took off her Sheikiah uniform. "Or your boots, even?"

"Muuuuuuh." Midna groaned, her voice muffled by a pillow. "I'm too tired."

"Fine." Zelda huffed in mock exasperation and pulled off Midnas boots. "I guess I'll just have to carry this pitcher of ice cold washing water next to you and accidentally trip and spill it."

"Meanie." Midna grumbled and sat up. "Fine. Will you help me, O Kind One? These strings on this chain are impossible to untie."

"Okay." Zelda deftly undid the ties and pulled the tunic over Midnas head. Midna yawned and fell over, burying herself in the covers.

"You're welcome." Zelda said to no one as she climbed in the opposite side and blew out the candles.

"You know..." Zelda rolled over drowsily. "You should stop toying with Link. He loves you. anyone can see. And I think you love him..."

Midnas eyes snapped open. "What?"

She didn't get a reply, only the even breathing of Zelda as she slept.

_Link... Link loves me?_

* * *

Shadow grunted at Link as he left the bathroom after washing off the days grime. Link sat down on the edge of the bed, back facing the back of the doppleganger, who was perched a similar way.

"A shame that you, instead of Midna, sits here..." Shadow remarked offhandedly. "She's much prettier than you, for sure."

"Link felt his blood boil, taking a deep breath, he responded, trying to sound light. "You should stop saying those types of things about her. It's... Nasty."

"Hm?"

"All those comments about her you make, like wanting to share a room, asking for a kiss, things like that." Link shook his head. "It's not going to get you closer to her."

"I know." Shadow sighed. "Oh well, a man, he can never change."

"Just try to keep a lid on it."

"Fine, _loverboy._" Shadow flopped back onto the mattress, laying on the edge, the absolute farthest from Link, who was at the other edge. Almost the entire mattress lay between the two curled backs, but neither could get over the awkwardness to take a more comfortable position.

_Loverboy?_ Link thought._ He couldn't think that I... I love her. But... Do I?_ Link yawned and stared out the window at the stars._ I think... I think I do love her... Just a bit._

* * *

**Sorry it's late! School started, water polo kicked back up with a vengeance, and I was super busy.**

**Minkna is startin up, eh Scarlet Curls? :D**

**Do you think Shadows feelings for Midna will develop? Will Link confess? Who will win the swordsmanship?**

**Oh, and what was your favorite part of Twilight Princess?**

**Mine was sniping the bokoblins in Hidden Village. My friend Wyatt and I reset so many times! We did that scene about eight times each before we got tired of it!**


End file.
